WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - Mark Gillespie has replaced Iain O'Brien in the important third seamer's role for New Zealand in the first of three cricket tests against England.

O'Brien pulled out of the New Zealand squad with a toe injury Tuesday on the eve of the Hamilton match, leaving a vacancy for his Wellington provincial teammate, the right-armer Gillespie, who will share the fast bowling duties with Kyle Mills and Chris Martin.

Gillespie, who was sidelined until recently with a shoulder injury, has played only one test for New Zealand and takes the place of O'Brien who has six previous test appearances.

His callup highlights the relative inexperience of the New Zealand team.

The New Zealanders will try a relatively new opening partnership in Hamilton from Wednesday, pairing Matthew Bell (15 tests) with Jamie How (six tests), then will look for middle order solidity to Ross Taylor (two tests).

Jacob Oram and captain Daniel Vettori provide bowling variation and New Zealand has the choice of playing a second spinner in Jeetan Patel (1 test) or in another medium pacer in South African-born all-rounder Grant Elliott, who is uncapped. New Zealand seldom plays two spinners and it is likely Patel and Elliott will share the 12th man duties.

The New Zealand batsmen enter the test series with only moderate recent form. Bell scored his second test century during New Zealand's last series against Bangladesh, How has a top test score of 37 and an average of 14, Taylor has a highest score of 17 in four previous test innings and Mathew Sinclair struggled against Bangladesh, managing a best score of 47.

England's batsmen, in contrast, come into the match with some solid form on tour. Ian Bell, Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen were in particularly strong form during two recent warmup matches against an Invitation XI which included several of their Kiwi test opponents.

The England bowlers have also adjusted well to New Zealand conditions. Ryan Sidebottom has overcome recent fitness concerns after being the best of England's bowlers in the five-match limited overs series while seamers Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison and spinner Monty Panesar have picked up wickets in warmup games.